Eastern Europe: Clinton Supports NATO Expansion, U.S. Ties To Russia

Washington, 30 August 1996 (RFE/RL) -- U.S. President Bill Clinton says America will continue its "strong partnership with a democratic Russia," and that the United States will bring some of Central Europe's new democracies into NATO.

Clinton made the remarks in his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention yesterday in Chicago. The President spoke for more than an hour in accepting the party's nomination to run for re-election to the White House in the November 5 election.

Most of the speech covered domestic issues, but Clinton made a few foreign policy remarks.

"Nothing in our lifetimes has been more heartening than when the people of the former Soviet Union and Central Europe broke the grip of Communism," he said.

He said the United States had "aided their progress and I am proud of it."

Clinton said he wanted Central European nations in NATO "so that they will never question their own freedom in the future."

The President also called for ratification of international treaties reducing nuclear arsenals and banishing nuclear tests and poison gas.